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Monthly Archives: July 2013

Sometimes things happen and you just cannot get signed up for something in advance. For some events, that means it is too late to come. But for Excel, WMU leadership development for church and association leaders, you can still join us. Registration at the door is $20.00. It includes your lunch and materials.

We will be in two locations this Saturday, Shelbyville and Central City. Leadership conferences for all areas of WMU work will be offered as well as an assortment of special interest conferences. Things get started with registration at 8:00 a.m. and Early Bird Special Interest Workshops at 8:30 a.m. The opening session for all participants is at 9:30 a.m. Leadership conferences follow at 10:30 a.m After lunch there will be Special Interest Workshops at 1:00 and 2:00 p.m.

From grandparents bringing grandchildren, to a family with five children, and several other families with four children, to groups from churches and associations, the volunteers came to make a difference in Kentucky. A total of 155 volunteers from 13 states worked in Paducah and Henderson, July 13-18, sharing Christ in a variety of ministries.

Throughout the week in both locations, volunteers served alongside local churches and volunteers in the community doing projects such as prayerwalking, light construction and repairs, food and clothing distribution, health-care ministries, block parties, Backyard Bible Clubs, Vacation Bible School, sports camps and other community ministries. A highlight in Henderson was VBS, crafts, and a tent-revival at the Redbanks Nursing Home. The nursing home is not the typical location for VBS or a tent-revival, but these ministries were well-received and people were saved! And the perennial game favorite of Bingo took on a new twist with Bible Bingo as residents played using books of the Bible!

The impact of FamilyFEST Western Kentucky has been tremendous. Not only has FamilyFEST been a witness to lost people in both Henderson and Paducah, it has also been a great encouragement to our churches. The fact that the volunteers were coming was an incentive to plan the projects, line up the materials, and enlist local leaders to work with our guests. The FamilyFEST volunteers helped our churches do ministries in the community in a significant way, including servant evangelism. As the volunteers served, doing a variety of tasks and ministries, they had opportunity to share Jesus and why they had come. Their encouragement to our churches was vital.

We hope that the outcomes from the ministries this week will continue to be felt and that the churches will see new ways to make an impact. For many of our volunteers, this was their first mission trip. Many came from small churches and found that FamilyFEST was a way that they could join with others to meet needs. It is really great to be able to sign up to help and have others do the planning of the projects. Local folks know the ministry opportunities but often need volunteers. Sometimes local churches have gotten discouraged and the infusion of volunteers is a great boost to them. The sheer number of volunteers on location for several days makes a big impact.

FamilyFEST is significant to the volunteers who come. It is personally rewarding to be involved in ministry and to bring family members along. The intergenerational experience is wonderful. The children and youth not only experience their own families at work in missions, but they meet other families and share the experience of service.

Plan to join us next year as FamilyFEST comes to Boone’s Creek Association, July 19-24. Families of all ages are welcome!

We are excited to host our first FamilyFEST in Kentucky! This volunteer missions opportunity is jointly sponsored by national WMU, Kentucky WMU, and the host associations. FamilyFEST is similar to MissionsFEST, but is planned for families to participate in missions together.

Western Kentucky FamilyFEST begins Saturday, July 13 in both Henderson and Paducah, Kentucky. There are 155 volunteers from 13 states – Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

FamilyFEST volunteers will be involved in serving alongside established churches as well as church starts. Some of the types of ministries in which volunteers will be involved are Backyard Bible clubs, VBS, prayerwalking, light construction and repairs, ministry centers, food and clothing distribution, block parties, and health-care ministries. Several of our Baptist Nursing Fellowship nurses will assist in the health-care ministries.

Kentucky has previously hosted three MissionsFESTs and has now taken on FamilyFEST for the first time. We are thankful for the partnership with the two Baptist associations – Green Valley Baptist Association in Henderson and West Union Baptist Association in Paducah as well as the continued partnership with Kentucky WMU.

Previous MissionsFESTs have been held in Enterprise Association, Boone’s Creek Association, and most recently in Bell Couty Association (2011). Plans are already underway for another FamilyFEST in Boone’s Creek Association in 2014. Make plans now to be a part of this missions opportunity, July 19-24, 2014.

Please pray for the Western Kentucky FamilyFEST which starts Saturday and goes through Thursday evening of next week. Pray for those who are traveling to Kentucky in the next few days. Pray for the ministry projects and for many opportunities to share the gospel. Pray for the volunteers and for those we want to reach through FamilyFEST ministries.

As you prepare for the 2013-14 church year, an update on what’s happening in WMU along with new ideas and fellowship with other WMU leaders will be a great encouragement. Just one good idea can make all the difference as you plan for the year! Of course, we hope that you will go home with many good ideas!!

Excel will be held on Saturday, July 27 in two locations – Shelbyville and Central City. The schedule at each location is the same:
8:00 a.m. Registration begins, bookstore open
8:30 a.m. Early Bird Special Interest Workshops
9:30 a.m. General Session for all participants
10:30 a.m. Leadership Workshops
(WMU directors, other officers, Age-level organization leaders)
12:15 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Special Interest Workshops
2:00 p.m. Special Interest Workshops
3:00 p.m. Conference Concludes

In the morning leadership workshops, you will learn about WMU plans for the year by area of responsibility. Conferences include: WMU directors, Other churchwide WMU leaders, Adult Involvement (Women/Adults on Mission), Students (Acteens, Youth on Mission), Girls in Action, Children in Action, Royal Ambassadors/Challengers, and Mission Friends.

Special Interest workshops at both locations include myMISSION, Project HELP, 2013 Emphasis Book (We’ve A Story to Tell), Classroom Management, Celebrating 125 years, Babies R Mission Friends Too, and Get Involved with the BGR Bucket Project in 2014.

A few workshops will be offered only at one location: Mississippi River Ministries and Bible Telling (Central City); Appalachian Regional Ministries and Pit Stop Challenge Ministries (Shelbyville).

Associational Leaders will have a two-hour special interest conference in the afternoon. This conference includes an introduction to the new WMU Missions Guide for Associational Leaders written by Joy Bolton. Associational leaders will receive a copy of this guide during the conference.

Advance registration for Excel is $15. The deadline for advance registration is Wednesday, July 17. Registration at the door is $20. Registration includes a 2013 WMU Year Book, Kentucky Supplement to the Year Book, and lunch.

New This Year: Childcare for children through second grade. $3 per child which includes lunch and snacks.

Register online: On line registration requires a credit card and closes at midnight on July 17. This page also includes a link to download a brochure. You will receive a confirmation of your registration and any additional information needed. www.kywmu.org/excel

The 2014 Kentucky partnership with Baptist Global Response will be featured at Excel. The Bucket Project is an opportunity to pack buckets with items used in hospice care with AIDS victims. Kentucky will pack and send Hospice Care Buckets to Africa in 2014 through BGR.

The Bucket Project will be a big part of the 2014 Kentucky WMU Annual Meeting when we will pack buckets and load shipping containers with completed buckets. You can get a head start on this project at Excel. We will feature the project in the General Session and during Early Bird and afternoon Special Interest Workshops.

Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, begins this evening (July 8) and goes through Wednesday evening, August 7. Many Christians engage in prayer for Muslims during this month. With the Kentucky WMU focus on prayer for NAME (North Africa and the Middle East), this is an especially important time to pray.

NAME prayer requests for July have been posted at: www.kywmu.org/name. These have been cleared for security and may be shared with others. Print and share with missions groups, Bible study classes, etc.

During these days of political unrest, pray for open doors to the gospel among Muslims. Pray for missionaries serving among Muslim people. Pray for your own opportunities to get to know Muslims and share Christ with them.

Have you ever wished you could visit Kentucky missions sites and meet ministry leaders? You can on a Kentucky Missions Vision Tour! Kentucky Missions Vision Tours are offered by members of the Kentucky WMU Leadership Network as a way to introduce you to Kentucky missions. After visiting Kentucky missions sites, you will be better able to pray for these ministries and will discover ways to get involved.

Information about Kentucky Missions Vision Tours is available at www.kywmu.org/visiontours. Eastern, central, and western Kentucky tours are available. If you would like to arrange a tour, contact information is provided to make arrangements for a tour directly with the tour leader. Groups are responsible for the cost of lodging, meals, and travel expense for participants and the tour leader. Tour dates are subject to the availabilty of the tour leader. One day and overnight tour options are available.

Western Kentucky tours include ministries in Clinton, Mayfield, Henderson, Paducah, Hopkinsville, and other locations including Charleston, Missouri and Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. George and Cathy Chinn are the tour leaders.

As we prepare for the 2013 state missions emphasis, More Than Ever, Make a Difference, a Kentucky Missions Vision Tour would be a great way to see Kentucky missions first hand and discover ways that you can make a difference. Visit the missions tours web page, learn about the tours, then contact the tour leader to arrange a tour. Take a group from your church, Women on Mission, youth group, or even a children’s missions organization. More than ever, make a difference!